Carton and blank for making same

ABSTRACT

A protective carton having a wall interconnecting a pair of sidewalls and having open ends wherein the interconnecting wall is provided with a pair of parallel cuts extending completely across the central portion thereof with the sidewalls each having a pair of slits and with the slits of each pair each adjoining an end of an associated cut. The interconnecting wall also has weakening means therein extending between and roughly perpendicular to the cuts. The cuts and slits define a U-shaped construction which because of the presence of the weakening means is easily compressed in the form of a V-shaped construction to define an integral handle for the caRton. A plurality of cartons identical to the above-described carton and each having a pouch supported therein so as to define an associated package may be tightly packed in an associated traylike container with the interconnecting walls of the cartons arranged immediately adjacent each other in a common plane and each package may be easily removed from the container by compressing the U-shaped construction of its associated carton to thereby define a Vshaped construction which serves as an easily grasped handle for lifting the package from within the container.

United States Patent Farguhar 1 Mar. 7, 1972 [54] CARTON AND BLANK FOR MAKING Primary Examiner-Leonard Summer SAME Attorney-Glenn, Palmer, Lyne, Gibbs & Thompson [72] inventor: Melville T. Farguhar, Bon Air, Va. [57] ABSTRACT [73] Asslgme: 5 Metals Compmy' Rlchmond' A protective carton having a wall interconnecting a pair of sidewalls and having open ends wherein the interconnecting [22] Filed: Nov. 10, 1969 wall is provided with a pair of parallel cuts extending completely across the central portion thereof with the [21] Appl' 875087 sidewalls each having a pair of slits and with the slits of each pair each adjoining an end of an associated cut. The intercon- [52] US. Cl. ..206/56 AC, 206/56 AA, 206/65 R, necting wall also has weakening means therein extending 229/1 .5 between and roughly perpendicular to the cuts. The cuts and [51] Int. Cl. ..B65d 79/00, 865d 83/06 slits define a U-shaped construction which because of the Field of Search ..206/56 AC, 56 A, 13 6- 32, 5 presence of the weakening meansis easily compressed in the 0 11 65 R, 65 I 3, form of a V-shaped construction to define an integral handle for the carton. A plurality of cartons identical to the aboyg [56] Reiem CiM described carton and each having a pouch supported therein so as to define an associated package may be tightly packed in UNTED STATES PATENTS an associated traylike container with the interconnecting walls 3,223,233 12/1965 Berker et al ..206/65 R of the cartons arranged immediately adjacent each other in a 2,814,385 1 1/1957 Stone ..206/65 C common plane and each package may be easily removed from 2,723,027 1 9 Guyer .206/65 C the container by compressing the U-shaped construction of its 1,953,418 4/ 1934 Macdonald ..206/44.12 canon to thereby define a \Lshaped construction 1,909,126 5/ 1933 Satterthwaite 206/DlG- 3 which serves as an easily grasped handle for lifting the 1 1 Johnson R package from the container 1,143,609 6/1915 Bryner ..206/56 AA 10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDHAR 7 972 SHEET 1 [1F 2 INVENTOR MELVILLE 1'. FARQUHAR BY K ms ATTORNEYS PATENTEU MAR 7 1972 sum 2 0F 2 MELVILLE T FARQUHAR ms ATTORNEYS CARTON AND BLANK FOR MAKING SAME BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many products are sold in disposable containers each containing a predetermined amount which constitutes a normal serving. For example, many airlines serve alcoholic beverages in flight in which each serving is provided in either a 1.6-ounce or 2-ounce bottle. These bottles occupy considerable space, are quite heavy, and are breakable, making such bottles undesirable for airline use.

It has been previously proposed to package individual servings of alcoholic beverages in disposable lightweight packages each comprised of a pouch which is protected from mechanical damage by a protective outer carton. These packages are then tightly packed in an associated lightweight container or tray of standard construction which has an open top. However, it is very difficult to remove the first few of such packages from such a container or tray which has the packages tightly packed therein.

SUMMARY This invention provides an improved protective carton having a wall interconnecting a pair of sidewalls wherein the interconnecting wall is provided with a pair of cuts extending completely across the central portion thereof with the sidewalls each having a pair of slits provided therein and with each slit adjoining an end of an associated cut. The cuts and slits define a roughly U-shaped construction which is easily compressed to define an integral handle for the carton.

Other details, uses, and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following description of the embodiment thereof presented in the accompanying drawings proceeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings show a present exemplary embodiment of this invention, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an improved substantially wedge-shaped package which utilizes one embodiment of the protective carton of this invention with such package illustrated in an inverted position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a plurality of the packages of FIG. 1 tightly packed within an associated container in an alternating upright and inverted manner and showing a portion of the container broken away;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the blank used to make the protective carton of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper portion of the container and packages as presented in FIG. 2 and illustrating the manner in which the central portion of the protective carton of a package may be compressed between a thumb and index finger to define an integral handle for easily lifting the package from within the container; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating the central portion of the protective carton of the package partially compressed to define the integral handle.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS Reference is now made to FIG. 1 of the drawings which illustrates an exemplary package which is comprised of one exemplary embodiment of a protective carton 21 of this invention having open ends and the package 20 has a pouch 22 containing an individual serving of an alcoholic beverage which may be used by the airlines for inflight service.

To assure that the packages 20 occupy a minimum amount of space the protective cartons 21 of packages 20 are of equal width and a plurality of such packages are packed in a tray or container 23, see FIG. 2, which has an inside width which is only slightly larger than the width of cartons 21. The container 23 has the shape of a parallelepiped and may have either an open top or an easily removable top cover and a plurality of packages are placed within the container 23 which is in turn placed in a drawerof a liquor locker provided on a commercial aircraft.

Each package 20 is wedge-shaped, i.e., has a substantially triangular outline as viewed in cross section, and a plurality of packages 20 may be tightly packed in container 23 in an alternating upright and inverted manner, see FIG. 2, so that the bottom walls of alternate cartons face outwardly and are arranged in a common plane as illustrated at 24 whereby it would ordinarily be very difficult to remove the first few packages from within the container 23 without extensively damaging the protective cartons 21 of such first packages. However, the protective carton 21 comprising each package 20 is constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention and has an inexpensive integral handle means or handle which enables easy removal of the first few tightly packed packages from within the container 23 and the integral handle on each package may also be used to remove subsequent.

packages from within such container.

The protective carton 21 is comprised of a foldable material of substantially rectangular configuration and has a pair of parallel spaced-apart fold lines 25 provided in the central portion thereof defining an interconnecting or bottom wall 26 therebetween and has a pair of substantially rectangular sidewalls 27 each extending from an associated fold lin'e 25. In the illustration of FIG. 1 where the package 20 is shown in what is normally considered an inverted position the sidewalls 27 extend downwardly from associated fold lines 25.

The sidewalls 27 have outer edges 30 normally defining the top thereof which in the completed package 20 are arranged in aligned relation with the outer edge 3] of a substantially flat end portion 32 of the pouch 22 and with the package 20 in an upright manner the pouch 22 is supported in suspended relation from the upper end portion of the sidewalls 27. Any suitable means may be used to fasten pouch 22 in position and in this example adhesive means is used to fix the outer portions of sidewalls 27 against opposite sides of the flat end portion 32 of such pouch.

Each of the sidewalls 27 has a corner edge 33 which defines acorner omitted therefrom and the corner edges 33 of both sidewalls 27 are arranged in aligned or registered relation. The pouch 22 has its substantially flat end portion 32 fastened in sandwiched relation between the outer portions of the sidewalls 27 and pouch 22 has a comer portion 34 extending outwardly beyond the corner edges 33 and such corner portion is severed to define an opening for dispensing the contents of pouch 22 therethrough.

The pouch 22 has a V-shaped notch 35 arranged immediately adjacent one end of the corner edges 33 which enables easy starting of the severing action once the corner portion is grasped between a thumb and index finger, for example. The severing action is continued along the comer edges 33 using such edges as comparatively stiff guide edges enabling tearing of the corner portion 34 in a straight line. In addition, each inner corner of an edge 33 serves essentially as a knife edge enabling the tearing or severing to be achieved with little effort.

,As seen particularly in FIGS. 1,3, and 5 of the drawings, the interconnecting wall 26 of carton 21 has a pair of cuts each designated by the reference numeral 36 provided therein which extend completely across the central portion thereof. The cuts 36 in this example are arranged parallel to each other and parallel to the parallel endsof the rectangular interconnecting wall 26; however, it will be appreciated that in some applications the cuts 36 may be arranged in nonparallel relation, if desired.

Each of the sidewalls 27 is also provided with a pair of identical slits 37 of equal length, with each slit 37 adjoining an end 40 of an associated cut 36. The slits 37 and cuts 36 cooperate to define a substantially U-shaped construction in the protective carton 21 and the purpose of such construction will be described in detail subsequently.

weakening means may be provided in the interconnecting wall 26 and in this example of the invention the weakening means is in the form of a single rectilinear score line 41 which is provided in the interconnecting wall 26 between the cuts 36. The score line 41 is preferably arranged perpendicular to the parallel cuts 36 so that its terminal ends adjoin the centers of such cuts whereby the score line 41 bisects that area in wall 26 which is between cuts 36.

The U-shaped construction defined by cuts 36 and slits 37 in the protective carton 21 is easily compressed utilizing a thumb and index finger, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 4, to thereby define a substantially V-shaped construction 43 which extends above the remainder of the planar interconnecting wall 26 by a distance indicated at 44 and the apex of the V-shaped construction 43 is defined by the score line 41. The V-shaped construction, because of its extended height, is easily grasped and serves as a handle means or handle for lift ing an associated package 20 from within the container 23 which has a plurality of such packages tightly packed therein.

The pouch 22 is made of an easily flexible material such as plastic film, aluminum foil, suitably treated paper, laminated constructions comprised of film and foil, or the like, and preferably has a substantially flat strip similar to flat end portion 32 provided about its entire outer periphery. In addition, the carton 21 has open ends as previously explained. These features assure that the U-shaped construction provided in carton 21 is easily compressed in an unobstructed manner as illustrated at 45 in FIG. to define the V-shaped construction 43. FIG. 5 also illustrates the U-shaped construction partially compressed inwardly to show the manner in which such U- shaped construction is converted into a V-shaped construction which has its extended height portion extending above the plane of its interconnecting wall 26.

The carton 21 may be formed in any suitable manner and using any suitable foldable material. lt is preferably formed from the carton blank designated generally by the reference numeral 47 in FIG. 3 of the drawings. The blank 47 is made of paperboard, or the like, and may have a surface laminated with metallic foil, such as aluminum-containing metallic foil, or the like, which may be suitably colored, embossed, imprinted, or remaining plain, as desired.

The blank 47 is of substantially rectangular outline and is suitably cut and scored so as to define the resulting protective carton 21 upon assembly thereof. The blank 47 has a pair of parallel fold or score lines 25 provided in the central portion thereof which define the interconnecting wall 26 therebetween and sidewalls 27 each extending outwardly of an associated fold line 25. The cuts 36, slits 37, and score line 41 are formed in the blank 47 in the manner previously described in connection with the carton 21 and hence such description will not be repeated in connection with the blank 47.

The pouch 22 in this example of the invention has been described as containing an individual serving of a liquid .alcoholic beverage; however, it will be appreciated that such pouch need not necessarily contain a liquid beverage or for that matter a food product but may be utilized to contain other products, as desired.

The exemplary carton 21 has been described as having a score line 41 defining the weakening means in wall 26. However, any suitable weakening means may be provided such as a cut-score line, a series of spaced cuts arranged in a rectilinear path, or the like.

It will also be appreciated that in some applications of this invention the carton 21 may have an interconnecting wall 26 which does not have any type of weakening means provided therein whereby upon compressing the U-shaped construction defined in the carton by the slits 37 and cuts 36 a roughly V- shaped construction is defined which serves as handle means in a similar manner as previously described.

In this disclosure of the invention the protective carton 21 is shown as a wedge-shaped carton having open ends. However, the protective carton may be of any suitable configuration and need not necessarily have open ends but may be enclosed completely; yet, the teachings of this invention would enable the provision of a simple and inexpensive integral handle which would enable easy removal of such cartons from a container within which they may be packed tightly to conserve space and essentially in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2.

While present exemplary embodiments of this invention have been illustrated and described, it will be recognized that this invention may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced by those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A substantially rectangular blank being cut and scored and adapted to be assembled to define a resulting carton, said blank comprising a rectangular interconnecting wall defining the central portion of said blank, a pair of sidewalls foldably connected to opposite edges of said interconnecting wall and being arranged generally opposite each other in said resulting carton to define said resulting carton having open ends, a pair of parallel cuts provided in said interconnecting wall and each extending completely across the central portion thereof, a pair of slits of equal length in each of said sidewalls with each slit of each pair adjoining an end of an associated cut, said slits and cuts defining a substantially U-shaped construction in said resulting carton, and weakening means in said interconnecting wall extending between and roughly perpendicular to said cuts enabling compressing of said U-shaped construction in said resulting carton to define a V-shaped construction having said weakening means at the apex thereof, said apex being arranged in said resulting carton outwardly of the plane of said planar interconnecting wall and between the near ends of said sidewalls, said V-shaped construction serving as handle means to enable easy grasping and lifting of said resulting carton.

2. A substantially rectangular blank being cut and scored and adapted to be assembled to define a resulting carton, said blank comprising a rectangular interconnecting wall defining the central portion of said blank, a pair of sidewalls foldably connected to opposite edges of said interconnecting wall and being arranged generally opposite each other in said resulting carton to define said resulting carton having open ends, a pair of parallel cuts provided in said interconnecting wall and each extending completely across the central portion thereof, said parallel cuts being arranged parallel to parallel ends of said rectangular interconnecting wall, a pair of slits of equal length in each of said side walls with each slit of each pair adjoining an end of an associated cut, said slits and cuts defining a substantially U-shaped construction in said resulting carton, and weakening means in said interconnecting wall extending between said cuts enabling compressing of said U-shaped construction in said resulting carton to define a V-shaped construction having said weakening means at the apex thereof, said weakening means comprising a score line which is provided in said interconnecting wall perpendicular to and bisecting the area between said parallel cuts, said V-shaped construction serving as handle means to enable easy grasping and lifting of said resulting carton from within an associated container having a plurality of cartons packed therein which are substantially identical to said resulting carton with said plurality of cartons having interconnecting walls tightly packed in a common plane with said interconnecting wall of said resulting carton.

3. A blank as set forth in claim 1 in which said sidewalls have identical substantially rectangular configurations and have outer end edges which are arranged closely adjacent each other in said resulting carton whereby said resulting carton has a substantially triangular cross-sectional configuration.

4. A protective carton comprising a pair of sidewalls, a substantially rectangular planar wall interconnecting associated ends of said sidewalls, a pair of parallel cuts provided in said interconnecting wall and extending completely across the central portion thereof, a pair of slits of equal length provided in each of said sidewalls with each slit of said pair adjoining an end of an associated cut, said slits and cuts defining a substantially U-shaped construction in said carton, and weakening means in said interconnecting wall extending between and roughly perpendicular to said cuts, said U-shaped construction being adapted to be compressed to define a roughly V- shaped construction serving as handle means to enable easy grasping and lifting of said carton with said weakening means enabling easy compressing of said U-shaped construction, said V-shaped construction having said weakening means at the apex thereof with said apex being arranged outwardly of the plane of said planar interconnecting wall and between the near ends of said sidewalls.

5. A carton as set forth in claim 4 in which, said interconnecting wall is in the form of a bottom wall for said carton which is foldably interconnected between bottom end portions of said sidewalls and said sidewalls have top end portions, and further comprising in combinationvwith said carton a pouch fastened to said top end portions in suspended relation within said carton.

6. A protective carton comprising a pair of sidewalls, a substantially rectangular planar wall interconnecting associated ends of said sidewalls, a pair of parallel cuts provided in said interconnecting wall and extending completely across the central portion thereof, a pair of slits of equal length provided in each of said sidewalls with each slit of said pair adjoining an end of an associated out, said slits and cuts defining a substantially U-shaped construction in said carton, and weakening means in said interconnecting wall extending between said cuts, said weakening means comprising a score line provided in said interconnecting wall perpendicular to and bisecting the area between said parallel cuts, said U-shaped construction being adapted to be compressed to define a roughly V-shaped construction serving as handle means to enable easy grasping and lifting of said carton from within a container having a plurality of said cartons packed therein with the interconnecting walls thereof tightly packed immediately adjacent each other in a common plane, said weakening means enabling easier compressing of said U-shaped construction to define said V- shaped construction having said weakening means at the apex thereof.

7. In combination: a traylike container having the shape of a parallelepiped with an open top and a plurality of packages carried in tightly packed relation within said container with each package comprising a protective carton and a flexible pouch containing an associated product supported within the protective carton, each of said cartons comprising, a pair of sidewalls having a width which is slightly smaller than the corresponding inside width of said container, a planar wall interconnecting associated ends of said sidewalls, said interconnecting wall having one dimension equal to the width of said sidewalls, a pair of parallel cuts provided completely across the central portion of said interconnecting wall, a pair of slits of equal length provided in each of said sidewalls with each slit of said pair adjoining an end of an associated cut, said slits and cuts defining a substantially U-shaped construction in each carton, and weakening means in said interconnecting wall extending between and roughly perpendicular to said cuts, said U-shaped construction being compressible to define a roughly V-shaped construction with said weakening means enabling easy compressing of said U-shaped construction, said V- shaped construction having said weakening means at the apex thereof with said apex being arranged outwardly of the plane of said planar interconnecting wall and between the near ends of said sidewalls, said packages being tightly packed in said container with said interconnecting walls of said cartons arranged immediately adjacent each other and in a common plane and upon compressing a U-shaped construction of a carton an associated V-shaped construction is defined which serves as handle means to enable easy grasping and lifting of the associated package from within said container.

8. In combination: a traylike container having the shape of a parallelepiped with an open top and a plurality of packages carried in tightly packed relation within said container with each package comprising a protective carton and a flexible pouch containing an associated product supported within the protective carton, each of said cartons comprising, a pair of sidewalls having a width which is slightly smaller than the corresponding inside width of said container, a planar wall interconnecting associated ends of said sidewalls, said interconnecting wall having one dimension equal to the width of said sidewalls, a pair of parallel cuts provided completely across the central portionof saidinterconnecting wall, a pair of slits of equal length provided in each of said sidewalls with each slit of said pair adjoining an end of an associated cut, said slits and cuts defining a substantially U-shaped construction in said carton, and weakening means in said interconnecting wall extending between said cuts, said weakening means comprising a score line provided in said interconnecting wall perpendicular to and bisecting the area between said parallel cuts, said U- shaped construction being compressible to define a roughly V- shaped construction, said weakening means enabling easier compressing of said U-shaped construction to define said V- shaped construction having said weakening means at the apex thereof, said packages being tightly packed in said container with said interconnecting walls of said cartons arranged immediately adjacent each other and in a common plane so that upon compressing a U-shaped construction of a carton an as,-

sociated V-shaped construction is defined which serves as handle means to enable easy grasping and lifting of the associated package from within said container.

9. In combination: a traylike container having the shape of a parallelepiped with an open top and a plurality of packages carried in tightly packed relation within said container with each package comprising a protective carton and a flexible pouch containing an associated product supported within the protective carton, each of said cartons comprising, a pair of sidewalls having a width which is slightly smaller than the corresponding inside width of said container, a planar wall foldably interconnecting associated bottom end portions of said sidewalls so that said interconnecting wall is in the form of a rectangular bottom wall having one dimension equal to the width of said sidewalls, said sidewalls having top end portions fastened against opposite side portions of a substantially flat end portion of an associated pouch suspended within said carton to define said carton having open ends and a substantially triangular outline as viewed in cross section, a pair of parallel cuts provided completely across the central portion of said interconnecting wall, a pair of slits of equal length provided in each of said sidewalls with each slit of said pair adjoining an end of an associated cut, said slits and cuts defining a substantially U-shaped construction in said carton, and weakening means in said interconnecting rectangular bottom wall extending between said cuts, said parallel cuts being arranged parallel to the parallel ends of said rectangular bottom wall and said weakening means comprising a score line provided in said bottom wall perpendicular to and bis'ecting the area between said parallel cuts, said U-shaped construction being compressible to define a roughly V-shaped construction, said weakening means enabling easier compressing of said U-shaped construction to define said V-shaped construction having said weakening means at the apex thereof, said packages being tightly packed in said container with their cartons in an alternating upright and inverted manner so that the bottom walls of alternate cartons face outwardly and are arranged immediately adjacent each other in a common plane so that upon compressing a U-shaped construction of a carton an associated V- shaped construction is defined which serves as handle means to enable easy grasping and lifting of the associated package from within said container.

10. In combination: a traylike container having the shape of a parallelepiped with an open top and a plurality of packages carried in tightly packed relation within said container with each package comprising a protective carton and a flexible pouch containing an associated product supported within the protective carton, each of said cartons comprising, a pair of sidewalls having a width which is slightly smaller than the corresponding inside width of said container, a planar wall interconnecting associated ends of said sidewalls, said interconnecting wall having one dimension equal to the width of said sidewalls, a pair of cuts provided completely across the central portion of said interconnecting wall, and a pair of slits of equal length provided in each of said sidewalls with each slit of said pair adjoining an end of an associated cut, said sidewalls of each carton having a substantially rectangular peripheral outline and the pouch within each carton being comprised of metallic foil and having a substantially flat end portion fastened in sandwiched relation between the outer ends of the sidewalls of its carton, said slits and cuts defining a substantially U-shaped construction in each carton, said U-shaped construction being compressible to define a roughly V-shaped construction, said V-shaped construction having an apex ar- 

1. A substantially rectangular blank being cut and scored and adapted to be assembled to define a resulting carton, said blank comprising a rectangular interconnecting wall defining the central portion of said blank, a pair of sidewalls foldably connected to opposite edges of said interconnecting wall and being arranged generally opposite each other in said resulting carton to define said resulting carton having open ends, a pair of parallel cuts provided in said interconnecting wall and each extending completely across the central portion thereof, a pair of slits of equal length in each of said sidewalls with each slit of each pair adjoining an end of an associated cut, said slits and cuts defining a substantially U-shaped construction in said resulting carton, and weakening means in said interconnecting wall extending between and roughly perpendicular to said cuts enabling compressing of said U-shaped construction in said resulting carton to define a V-shaped construction having said weakening means at the apex thereof, said apex being arranged in said resulting carton outwardly of the plane of said planar interconnecting wall and between the near ends of said sidewalls, said V-shaped construction serving as handle means to enable easy grasping and lifting of said resulting carton.
 2. A substantially rectangular blank being cut and scored and adapted to be assembled to define a resulting carton, said blank comprising a rectangular intErconnecting wall defining the central portion of said blank, a pair of sidewalls foldably connected to opposite edges of said interconnecting wall and being arranged generally opposite each other in said resulting carton to define said resulting carton having open ends, a pair of parallel cuts provided in said interconnecting wall and each extending completely across the central portion thereof, said parallel cuts being arranged parallel to parallel ends of said rectangular interconnecting wall, a pair of slits of equal length in each of said side walls with each slit of each pair adjoining an end of an associated cut, said slits and cuts defining a substantially U-shaped construction in said resulting carton, and weakening means in said interconnecting wall extending between said cuts enabling compressing of said U-shaped construction in said resulting carton to define a V-shaped construction having said weakening means at the apex thereof, said weakening means comprising a score line which is provided in said interconnecting wall perpendicular to and bisecting the area between said parallel cuts, said V-shaped construction serving as handle means to enable easy grasping and lifting of said resulting carton from within an associated container having a plurality of cartons packed therein which are substantially identical to said resulting carton with said plurality of cartons having interconnecting walls tightly packed in a common plane with said interconnecting wall of said resulting carton.
 3. A blank as set forth in claim 1 in which said sidewalls have identical substantially rectangular configurations and have outer end edges which are arranged closely adjacent each other in said resulting carton whereby said resulting carton has a substantially triangular cross-sectional configuration.
 4. A protective carton comprising a pair of sidewalls, a substantially rectangular planar wall interconnecting associated ends of said sidewalls, a pair of parallel cuts provided in said interconnecting wall and extending completely across the central portion thereof, a pair of slits of equal length provided in each of said sidewalls with each slit of said pair adjoining an end of an associated cut, said slits and cuts defining a substantially U-shaped construction in said carton, and weakening means in said interconnecting wall extending between and roughly perpendicular to said cuts, said U-shaped construction being adapted to be compressed to define a roughly V-shaped construction serving as handle means to enable easy grasping and lifting of said carton with said weakening means enabling easy compressing of said U-shaped construction, said V-shaped construction having said weakening means at the apex thereof with said apex being arranged outwardly of the plane of said planar interconnecting wall and between the near ends of said sidewalls.
 5. A carton as set forth in claim 4 in which, said interconnecting wall is in the form of a bottom wall for said carton which is foldably interconnected between bottom end portions of said sidewalls and said sidewalls have top end portions, and further comprising in combination with said carton a pouch fastened to said top end portions in suspended relation within said carton.
 6. A protective carton comprising a pair of sidewalls, a substantially rectangular planar wall interconnecting associated ends of said sidewalls, a pair of parallel cuts provided in said interconnecting wall and extending completely across the central portion thereof, a pair of slits of equal length provided in each of said sidewalls with each slit of said pair adjoining an end of an associated cut, said slits and cuts defining a substantially U-shaped construction in said carton, and weakening means in said interconnecting wall extending between said cuts, said weakening means comprising a score line provided in said interconnecting wall perpendicular to and bisecting the area between said parallel cuts, said U-shaped construction being adapTed to be compressed to define a roughly V-shaped construction serving as handle means to enable easy grasping and lifting of said carton from within a container having a plurality of said cartons packed therein with the interconnecting walls thereof tightly packed immediately adjacent each other in a common plane, said weakening means enabling easier compressing of said U-shaped construction to define said V-shaped construction having said weakening means at the apex thereof.
 7. In combination: a traylike container having the shape of a parallelepiped with an open top and a plurality of packages carried in tightly packed relation within said container with each package comprising a protective carton and a flexible pouch containing an associated product supported within the protective carton, each of said cartons comprising, a pair of sidewalls having a width which is slightly smaller than the corresponding inside width of said container, a planar wall interconnecting associated ends of said sidewalls, said interconnecting wall having one dimension equal to the width of said sidewalls, a pair of parallel cuts provided completely across the central portion of said interconnecting wall, a pair of slits of equal length provided in each of said sidewalls with each slit of said pair adjoining an end of an associated cut, said slits and cuts defining a substantially U-shaped construction in each carton, and weakening means in said interconnecting wall extending between and roughly perpendicular to said cuts, said U-shaped construction being compressible to define a roughly V-shaped construction with said weakening means enabling easy compressing of said U-shaped construction, said V-shaped construction having said weakening means at the apex thereof with said apex being arranged outwardly of the plane of said planar interconnecting wall and between the near ends of said sidewalls, said packages being tightly packed in said container with said interconnecting walls of said cartons arranged immediately adjacent each other and in a common plane and upon compressing a U-shaped construction of a carton an associated V-shaped construction is defined which serves as handle means to enable easy grasping and lifting of the associated package from within said container.
 8. In combination: a traylike container having the shape of a parallelepiped with an open top and a plurality of packages carried in tightly packed relation within said container with each package comprising a protective carton and a flexible pouch containing an associated product supported within the protective carton, each of said cartons comprising, a pair of sidewalls having a width which is slightly smaller than the corresponding inside width of said container, a planar wall interconnecting associated ends of said sidewalls, said interconnecting wall having one dimension equal to the width of said sidewalls, a pair of parallel cuts provided completely across the central portion of said interconnecting wall, a pair of slits of equal length provided in each of said sidewalls with each slit of said pair adjoining an end of an associated cut, said slits and cuts defining a substantially U-shaped construction in said carton, and weakening means in said interconnecting wall extending between said cuts, said weakening means comprising a score line provided in said interconnecting wall perpendicular to and bisecting the area between said parallel cuts, said U-shaped construction being compressible to define a roughly V-shaped construction, said weakening means enabling easier compressing of said U-shaped construction to define said V-shaped construction having said weakening means at the apex thereof, said packages being tightly packed in said container with said interconnecting walls of said cartons arranged immediately adjacent each other and in a common plane so that upon compressing a U-shaped construction of a carton an associated V-shaped construction is defined which serves as handle meanS to enable easy grasping and lifting of the associated package from within said container.
 9. In combination: a traylike container having the shape of a parallelepiped with an open top and a plurality of packages carried in tightly packed relation within said container with each package comprising a protective carton and a flexible pouch containing an associated product supported within the protective carton, each of said cartons comprising, a pair of sidewalls having a width which is slightly smaller than the corresponding inside width of said container, a planar wall foldably interconnecting associated bottom end portions of said sidewalls so that said interconnecting wall is in the form of a rectangular bottom wall having one dimension equal to the width of said sidewalls, said sidewalls having top end portions fastened against opposite side portions of a substantially flat end portion of an associated pouch suspended within said carton to define said carton having open ends and a substantially triangular outline as viewed in cross section, a pair of parallel cuts provided completely across the central portion of said interconnecting wall, a pair of slits of equal length provided in each of said sidewalls with each slit of said pair adjoining an end of an associated cut, said slits and cuts defining a substantially U-shaped construction in said carton, and weakening means in said interconnecting rectangular bottom wall extending between said cuts, said parallel cuts being arranged parallel to the parallel ends of said rectangular bottom wall and said weakening means comprising a score line provided in said bottom wall perpendicular to and bisecting the area between said parallel cuts, said U-shaped construction being compressible to define a roughly V-shaped construction, said weakening means enabling easier compressing of said U-shaped construction to define said V-shaped construction having said weakening means at the apex thereof, said packages being tightly packed in said container with their cartons in an alternating upright and inverted manner so that the bottom walls of alternate cartons face outwardly and are arranged immediately adjacent each other in a common plane so that upon compressing a U-shaped construction of a carton an associated V-shaped construction is defined which serves as handle means to enable easy grasping and lifting of the associated package from within said container.
 10. In combination: a traylike container having the shape of a parallelepiped with an open top and a plurality of packages carried in tightly packed relation within said container with each package comprising a protective carton and a flexible pouch containing an associated product supported within the protective carton, each of said cartons comprising, a pair of sidewalls having a width which is slightly smaller than the corresponding inside width of said container, a planar wall interconnecting associated ends of said sidewalls, said interconnecting wall having one dimension equal to the width of said sidewalls, a pair of cuts provided completely across the central portion of said interconnecting wall, and a pair of slits of equal length provided in each of said sidewalls with each slit of said pair adjoining an end of an associated cut, said sidewalls of each carton having a substantially rectangular peripheral outline and the pouch within each carton being comprised of metallic foil and having a substantially flat end portion fastened in sandwiched relation between the outer ends of the sidewalls of its carton, said slits and cuts defining a substantially U-shaped construction in each carton, said U-shaped construction being compressible to define a roughly V-shaped construction, said V-shaped construction having an apex arranged outwardly of the plane of said planar interconnecting wall and between the near ends of said sidewalls, said packages being tightly packed in said container with said interconnecting walls of said cartons arranged immediAtely adjacent each other and in a common plane so that upon compressing a U-shaped construction of a carton an associated V-shaped construction is defined which serves as handle means to enable easy grasping and lifting of the associated package from within said container. 